Detachable Crane Superstructure on Rollers for Low Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing indoor assembly cranes face challenges in navigating through low-clearance spaces due to their fixed structure, which limits their ability to pass through gates and passages, even when their overall height is already minimized compared to truck-mounted cranes.

Innovation Solution

The crane structure is designed to be detachable from its carriage, allowing it to be supported by heavy-duty rollers instead, reducing the overall height by using rollers with a smaller diameter than the carriage wheels, and featuring adjustable support beams that can be raised or lowered to facilitate transfer between carriage and rollers, enabling the crane to be moved independently and pass through lower clearances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the crane structure is integrated into the carriage, then the crane has a fixed structure with good stability, but the overall height is too high to pass through low-clearance gates and passages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverall heightVSAvoidfixed structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The crane system is divided into two independent parts: the carriage and the crane superstructure. The crane superstructure can be detached from the carriage and mounted on heavy-duty rollers instead, allowing the overall height to be reduced while maintaining structural stability when assembled. This segmentation enables flexible configuration based on passage height requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support method of the crane superstructure is made dynamic and adjustable. It can be mounted on the carriage for higher stability or transferred to heavy-duty rollers for lower height. The adjustable support beams with extendable legs facilitate this dynamic reconfiguration, allowing the crane to adapt to different operational environments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Length of moving object

If the crane structure is detached from the carriage and mounted on heavy-duty rollers, then the headroom is reduced, but the mobility and ease of reattachment are improved

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveheadroomVSAvoidtransfer operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support beams are pre-equipped with extendable legs that can be raised or lowered. Before transferring the crane superstructure from the carriage to the heavy-duty rollers, the legs are extended to raise the superstructure, facilitating easy detachment and transfer. After transfer, the legs are lowered to secure the superstructure on the rollers, simplifying the operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the support beams are made adjustable with extendable legs, then the transfer between carriage and rollers is facilitated, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransfer capabilityVSAvoidadjustable support mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support beams serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for the crane superstructure, enable adjustment of the superstructure height, and facilitate the transfer operation between carriage and rollers. The extendable legs are used both for raising/lowering during transfer and for stabilizing the crane during operation, reducing the need for separate components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2610207B1Crane
Publication Date: 2014.09.17 BIEDENBACH WALTER
  • EP2610207B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2610207B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The crane has a crane body (7) with a crane boom (8), a rotary column (12) incorporating the crane boom and a receiving device (14) for carrying the rotary column. The crane body is made of an associated carriage (4), and essentially incorporated on a transport vehicle (1) driven on the roads. An adjustable supporting beam is provided with eleven legs (16) on free ends, where supporting beams (15) are attached to the receiving device. The crane body is alternatively aligned for incorporating on the carrier that is incorporated on a set of three heavy duty rollers.